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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 116 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. That must've been a ________________.
  3. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  4. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  5. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  10. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  17. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  18. He is an ace ________________.
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  21. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  22. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  23. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. wake — before a funeral
  4. rush — to hurry
  5. leaves — of a tree
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. mark — a trace
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. file — a document
  10. file — a line of people
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. plane — a tool
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. rest — what's left
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. pitcher — in baseball
  19. mark — a grade
  20. rest — a break
  21. wake — a trail
  22. wake — to stop sleeping
  23. file — a tool
  24. rush — hurry

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com